A literature review documents distorted images of aging in mass media and advertising, including underrepresentation and stereotyping. Older consumers are dissatisfied with these images, and their growing purchasing power is forcing advertisers to make more effective appeals. (Contains 20 references.) (SK)

Public service advertisements, disseminated via the mass media, have been credited with "positive attitudinal effects" in past research, but only certain kinds of such advertisements are really effective. Of the types of appeals used in television commercials--informative, emotional, "establishment" (or status quo), and…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 32 titles discuss a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the elderly audience for religious broadcasting; (2) response to television advertising of directly marketed products; (3) the effectiveness of documentary film…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 37 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the role of television in the lives of older homebound individuals; (2) radio wars between Cuba and the United States; (3) the relationship between…

The relationship of older Americans to the new media culture of society is the focus of this Technical Committee Report. The work of two committee-appointed subcommittees on stereotypes and new media technology are explained with a special emphasis on the influence of television. Age stereotyping is examined in prime time television, daytime…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 36 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) content diversity in local television news; (2) advertising influences on consumers' use of evidence; (3) organized labor and the mass media; (4) feminist film…

Elderly residents of a large southern city were surveyed in a study designed to examine the effects of media advertising on the elderly's perceptions. The 91 subjects completed a questionnaire on social factors such as the subjects' self-image, their perceptions of the elderly as portrayed by the mass media, product brand preferences, sex role…

Designed to present communications problems faced by the elderly and to assist classroom teachers to develop activities for dealing with them, this booklet begins by examining stereotypes of older persons which minimize and distort communication with them. It outlines common misconceptions about the elderly, centering on their state of mind,…

Indicates that (1) both younger (four-five years) and older (seven-eight years) children were significantly less likely to discriminate commercial from program content when the host-selling format was viewed, and (2) older children are more favorably influenced by the same commercial content when it is seen in a host-selling presentation than in a…

This issue of "Media & Values" explores the influence of mass media on the perceptions about aging in our society. The essays present various interpretations of that influence and the implications for the society. Articles in the "Awareness/Analysis" section include: (1) "Granny Bashing: New Myth Recasts Elders as Villains" (Ronald F. Pollack);…

This annotated bibliography of 76 citations and abstracts focuses on communication with, by, and about the elderly. Publications span the period from 1949 to 1987. References to convention papers and materials that have not been published have been included only if available through the ERIC Document Reproduction Service or a similar organization.…

Examines the effects of selected antecedent variables and communication processes on the consumer behavior of the elderly. Results suggest that the mass media and the family may be instrumental in reinforcing or developing traditional sex-role stereotypes among the elderly, whereas consumer education may help them filter puffery in advertisements.…

A college level unit which investigates stereotypes of aging in the United States is described. The three-class unit serves as an introduction to the study of social gerontology. Its purpose is to address issues of negative stereotypes of old age reinforced by the media and by our cultural roots; the lack of knowledge about the normal changes that…

This article focuses on psychosocial barriers to sexual health and their implications on the design and delivery of mass media-based public health campaigns. A family planning campaign that attempted to address barriers to seeking sexual health information and services by promoting positive attitudes toward couple's communication about sexual…